Pak Parliament Passes Constitutional Amendment Bill Capping Chief Justice's Term

Islamabad: Pakistan 's National Assembly passed controversial 26th Constitution Amendment Bill, capping chief justice's tenure for three years, early on Monday following an overnight debate, country's media reported.

During voting in 336-member National Assembly, 225 members supported bill, Dawn reported. government needed 224 votes to pass amendment.

Senate voted 65-4 on Sunday to approve amendment with required two-thirds majority. ruling coalition needed support of 64 members in upper house of parliament.

Following its pass in both Houses of parliament, bill will be sent to president for his assent under Article 75 of Constitution, according to Geo News.

bill, approved by cabinet on Sunday with consensus among ruling coalition partners, was presented in Senate by Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar.

bill included 22 clauses of amendments. upper house passed bill clause-wise and all clauses got support of 65 senators.

magic number was achieved in Senate after Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl's five senators and two lawmakers of Balochistan National Party-Mengal voted in favour of bill. BNP-M favoured amendment despite, violating party line to abstain during process.

bill proposes to set up a 12-member commission to appoint chief justice who will be appointed for three years.

Cabinet approved proposed draft of controversial bill during a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif after seeking consensus from coalition partners, his office said.

According to a statement from Prime Minister's Office, cabinet decided to approve bill “in wider interest of country while adhering to oath of national development and public welfare." Ahead of cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Shehbaz met with President Asif Ali Zardari for detailed discussions on proposed constitutional amendment, during which president was briefed and consulted, Express News reported.

Addressing a press conference before start of Senate session, Law Minister Tarar said that a new body is being created to appoint judges. He said before 18th Amendment, judges were appointed by President on advice of Prime Minister.

He said 'new-face' commission would consist of Chief Justice, four senior-most apex court judges, two senators and two national assembly members MNAs - one of each will be from opposition.

He said that changes in law would help to expedite dispensation of justice by apex court.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Ali Zafar was first to speak in Senate on bill.

In a scathing criticism, he accused his party lawmakers of being forced to vote in favour of bill. He said his party senators were absent as y feared abduction to be forced to vote for government.

"It is against law and morality that coercion is being applied to get amendment approved," he said while speaking in Senate.

He also urged chairman senate t to count vote of any PTI senator if any of m voted in senate. Zafar came to house to give his party position despite his party saying in a statement that its political committee decided to boycott voting process in both houses of parliament.

Earlier, after a meeting with JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, PTI chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan said that party had “ objections” to final draft, but will t vote on bill when it is presented in parliament.

"Our leader Imran Khan will always have final say on party decisions, so we act on his instructions and recommendations," he said. "He (Imran) instructed us to have more consultations before voting since this legislation is so serious." Rehman said on occasion that he had objections to PTI's decision to t vote on bill.

"We have reached a consensus with PTI, but given ir condition and what y have been through, it is ir right to boycott vote," Fazl had said. "We have made efforts, but if a party has a strong position, we will accept that." Pakistan People's Party chief Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, who made elaborate efforts for bill to be passed, said that government would move forward with amendment wher PTI voted in favour of it or t.

"We have waited for as long as we could, and today, under any circumstance, this work will be completed," Bilawal had told reports at Senate.

Strict security arrangements were made for session of National Assembly, with guest entry strictly prohibited, according to assembly's spokesperson.

A constitutional amendment requires separate pass in National Assembly and Senate, with a two-thirds majority vote.